Switch 2 Needs This One Change To NSO, But Nintendo’s Never Going To Do It

Summary The Nintendo Switch has been wildly successful without emulating its competitors' business models.

Switch's hybrid design and online service give it an edge, but lacks the cutting edge features of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Nintendo is unlikely to follow the PlayStation Plus or Game Pass model due to success with exclusive game sales.

The Nintendo Switch has sold roughly 140 million units since its debut, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. It currently ranks as the third highest-selling video game console of all time, behind the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's own DS handheld. Being a handheld and home console hybrid is one of many factors that has given the Switch an edge over competitors, despite being inferior in computing power. Yet, even with the Switch's mass appeal, it lacks certain features that have become standard for its competitors; the most glaring is its lack of subscription access to modern titles.

Having launched over three years before the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo’s hybrid console has had a healthy head start by comparison. As it stands now, the PS5 has crossed the 50 million mark, while the Xbox Series X/S has been trailing at just under 30 million sold. Nintendo has been leading the pack in sales, but there are services offered by its competitors that, unfortunately, are not offered by the publisher. Nintendo is capable of offering an unparalleled subscription option to play its exclusive titles on release day, but nothing of the sort is likely to come to fruition.

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Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Is Great, But It Could Be Better

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If being a capable hybrid console wasn’t enough to make the Switch a gaming necessity, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack has only reaffirmed what makes Nintendo an industry titan. Expansion Pack subscribers can access titles ranging from the original NES console up to the Nintendo 64. While the service is worth the monthly fee, it pales in comparison to the online catalogs offered by its main competitors. Games are added to Nintendo's online offering at a far slower rate, and its current-gen releases are still relegated to a purchase-only model. In that regard, Sony and Microsoft have the iconic developer beat.

Sony offers a three-tiered system with its PS Plus online services. PS Plus Essential is the most basic offering, giving subscribers a few free games a month, as well as access to online multiplayer, cloud storage, and various discounts. PS Plus Extra offers further access to a wide catalog of downloadable PS4 and PS5 games, but it's the PS Plus Premium tier that is Sony’s flagship online offering. The Premium tier allows subscribers entry to a games portfolio spanning all five PlayStation consoles. Subscribers can stream or download this long list of titles, as well as access limited game trials.

Microsoft may be lagging behind Sony and Nintendo in overall sales, but it has them all beat in regard to its online services. For $16.99 a month, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers access to both current and retro Xbox titles. One of the most prominent features of the Ultimate tier is access to any Xbox Game Studios title upon release. Additionally, Game Pass Ultimate includes EA Play, allowing subscribers to play a wide catalog of Electronic Arts titles, as well as receive discounts and early access to new games. Only Nintendo has a catalog that could compete with Xbox Game Pass.

It is no surprise that the name "Nintendo" is synonymous with video games. The Japanese company rose to prominence after an industry crash that left many believing that video games were only a passing fad that had come and gone. Nintendo managed to capture the world's attention, and in doing so, it established a new foundation for the industry. Mario is now more globally recognized than even Mickey Mouse, and the success of the Super Mario Bros. Movie reflects that sentiment. Mario Kart 8, between its original and Deluxe incarnations, is one of the highest-selling video games of all time.

If rumors are true, GameCube games may soon be coming to Nintendo Switch Online.

Nintendo Will Likely Never Follow The Game Pass Model

Nintendo doesn't offer a service like PS Plus or Game Pass because, as of now, it doesn't really have to. As mentioned before, Mario Kart 8 has become one of the highest-selling games of all time, and sales probably won't slow until an eventual ninth installment. The game is nearly 10 years old and still flies off shelves with a full $60 price tag. The Switch's other exclusive titles, likewise, continue selling well years after their release. While consumers would certainly enjoy access to the latest Nintendo titles via a subscription, it makes fiscal sense why Nintendo doesn't offer its current-gen games via NSO.

While Sony and Microsoft battle over which has the most powerful console and the best online services, Nintendo’s success with the Switch has allowed it to stay above the fray. Games like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda don't just sell on their own, they sell hardware. The Switch has sold twice as many units as the PS5 and Series X/S combined, because people want the games and characters Nintendo is known for. With Nintendo's next console rumored to be coming soon, the publisher may choose to adjust its current model. Until then, Nintendo's online service won't be changing.